Exclusive Interview with Boxcuttuhz from 'America's Best Dance Crew'Tuesday, January 27, 2009

I had the pleasure to get on the phone with Lando and Lydia, two members from the Boxcuttuhz Crew from the MTV show America's Best Dance Crew. Boxcuttuhz were the second crew to get eliminated from the show. In this exclusive interview, The two members talk about the highlights and low-lights of being on America's Best Dance Crew. Many fans were saddened with them getting kicked off the show. They also give their opinion on who they think is the best crew and who they would like to win it all.

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Hi, this is Daniel from BuddyTV and I'm here with Lando and Lydia, two members of the Boxcuttuhz Crew on the hit show America's Best Dance Crew. Hey Lando and Lydia, thanks for taking the time out to talk to us today. How are you doing?

I'm doing OK.

Great.

How did you guys come with the name Boxcuttuhz and where did it originate from and who came up with that idea?

Lando - I came up with the name on a few different aspects. It was a martial arts move on a TV show that me and KB would watch. The matter of adding musicality to a box to come out with something bringing in imitation is the box cutter idea. It's not so much the box or the tool of the box cutter but we just think or ourselves as a small blade that can do the same purpose of a large blade.

Tell me about your experience of being on America's Best Dance Crew from the live auctions to making it to the live showings?

Lando - Auctions were pretty long for something that happens pretty quick but they were thorough and interesting seeing a lot of people there and the different things. Once we were on the show it was quite hectic trying to deal with sicknesses and adapting to the style of how everything flows there with your schedules and talking to different people in music. You have to go to different people for different stuff. It was quite hectic but we just tried to work with it and deal with what we had.

How did you guys get along with the other crews? What crews did you feel the closest with?

Lando - I think we got along with all the crews. We all had different ones we would talk to. I liked kicking it with Ringmasters a lot because they're cool. I think we were one of the crews that actually got everybody together.

From last week's episode, what did you think about the challenge 'Mountain Climbers' and watching the part last week how it was tough for Lydia. What did you feel about your performance?

Lydia - I honestly think going home I just wanted to make sure that I left the performance with confidence and energy and I think I put my best out there. We were one of the crews that actually finished our task and our challenge. So what more is there to give because we gave everything that the judges wanted.

Lando - I think we had one of the hardest one and especially to be more creative with it and make it a show when you are on the ground most of the time was kind of difficult for us. I didn't really like the challenge too much but we worked with it and Shane recognized it as well. I think that was one of the hardest on the show to actually try to come up with something creative and implement it with dance and the music choice as well.

Lydia, How did you feel about what Lil Mama said about needing to pick up and show your presence more?

Lydia - I guess she was right because judging by my first performance I felt like I gave it my all but personally it is something new to me and I was trying to get used to the environment. That is something that I need to work on myself so I was hoping through this competition I can grow from it but I realize that I don't need this competition to grow into character or be more confident. I think my image wasn't trying to separate myself as a female to male. I dance with the crews because I'm like the guys because I can keep up with them. So it was a hard thing for me in a way but not really. I really didn't know what Lil Mama was talking about in conclusion.

Lando - For me to give more of a clarification, Lil Mama didn't know what our style was for the first episode. We weren't given the musical choice, MTV chose the music for us two days before the show. We made a brand new set compared to the other crews who were working on their auctions set already who songs got cleared. So we had two or three days to come up with everything and perform. Not only that, our set for the first episode was meant to be a change. I expected everyone to come out hard and do something explosive. We wanted come out with a different mindset and come up with something a little more smooth where we didn't need that much energy. With the song Lydia was suppose to play a softer part but Lil Mama didn't know that but that's what the music showed and that's what we displayed. Lil Mama expected something more explosive.

From the last two weeks, if you had to change anything or do anything different what would you do?

Lando - It would most definitely argue with MTV about the first episodes music choice because that's something that I personally really didn't want to do to come out with something different. People on the post and email said that the auction piece was much harder and that would have done much better but that's exactly what we wanted to do but the song unfortunately didn't get cleared. If they could of done something similar like a master mix we would been like ourselves on the first episode, which could of helped out with the second episode and with the fan base in votes.

Does MTV pick out the song choice for each crew or can you guys decide which songs you want to dance to?

Lando - They could only pick out a song if your auction song doesn't clear. Unfortunately, I think we were one of two or three crews that our for the auction piece was 2 minutes but the song that we wanted to use was 1:30 minutes of our piece. The song we wanted to use was only 15 to 20 seconds of the auction piece.

What did you guys learn from being on the show, if any? Things that your going to take away or grow amongst your group and amngst your crew.

Lando - From a choreographer's aspect I learned a lot from Tabbatha and Napoleon about presentation. You don't have to so creative on a lot of stuff for the naked eye to see. A lot of dance choreographers will appreciate and recognize the talent and mindset behind movement but to those of America who really don't know too much about dance they need to be able to see and realise that without thinking so much. I learned to try to utilize that in my dance for showmanship so that everybody can understand not just from the dancers part of view.

Lydia - I grew closer with my crew members. This opportunity was new to me so there is a lot of things I learned and a lot of things I will take from it

What are you plans for the future as a group?

Lando - We are open to anything. I haven't set anything for us yet. Our season is still not done we still have to be back and finish stuff was ABDC but if anything comes we will still do it just the matter of our timing and how we go about our business proposals.

What our your predictions for the show? What crews do you like and how it's going to play out?

Lando - I don't know how things are set up or how things are played out for a TV series to workout. As far as with us leaving a lot of teams did not expect us to go so I couldn't even expect who would be the next to go and who would stay. Our favorites would be Quest to win. That's are brother team. We have family from Team Millennia too but I don't think America really appreciates or recognizes too much of the choreography aspect of it. On the showmanship I believe Quest will be able to do it.

Lydia - I would agree with Lando because of showmanship. They are great guys. They great personalities and they put it on stage. They perform to give a great show for people to enjoy.

Great! Thank you so much for taking time out to talk to us. Is there anything else you would like to say to your fans out there?

Lydia - Basically, still keep a look out on us ‘Boxcuttuhz’ because it ain't over yet. I feel that the reason why I was kind of sad if you watch was because we won't given a longer chance to just able to show for America to witness what we could of given them or showed them. We are still going to be doing our stuff and fans just keep on the look out and we will keep you updated.

Lando - Same for me, just keep on the look out. I'm sorry we had back on a lot just trying to creep some stuff in there to make the show last a bit. No more holding back for the people who admire us and I appreciate all the fans for actually taking the time to message us for watching the show or even having us on the their mind.

Thank you a lot for let me be able to speak with you guys and all of us here at BuddyTV wish you the best of luck in everything you do.